Different Emotional Profile of Health Care Staff and General Population During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Objective: The aims of this study were to assess COVID-19 outbreak-related emotions, to identify vulnerable groups within health care workers (HCW) and to study the relationship between the emotional state and some environmental features. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study on March 29 to April 5, 2020 based on a national online survey using snowball sampling techniques. A list of emotional states was compared in HCW and non-HCW and within HCW roles. The relationship between COVID-19 related symptoms, information, and protective measures and the emotional state was analyzed. Results: Fear (p < .001, φc = .11), irritability (p = .001, φc = .08), frustration (p < .001, φc = .10), anger (p = .013, φc = .06), and helplessness (p < .001, φc = .13) appear significantly more frequently in HCW compared to non-HCW. Within HCW, a higher percentage of physicians, especially the less experienced, significantly perceived uncertainty and frustration (p = .001, φc = .13 and p = .025, φc = .10, respectively), while a higher percentage of nurses significantly experienced sadness (p = .024, φc = .10). Having a confirmatory diagnosis of the disease was related to hypochondria sensation (p = .026, φc = .10). Sadness (p = .035, φc = .09), intolerance (p = .058, φc = .09), anger (p = .024, φc = .10), and helplessness (p = .028, φc = .10) appeared as the most relevant emotions when information was perceived as insufficient. Conclusions: The knowledge of the most prevalent different emotional patterns in HCW, as well as in the general population, will allow the detection of subjects at risk for the development of mental disorders and the implementation of therapeutic approaches in future similar situations of pandemic or outbreak of the current one. Clinical Impact Statement During the current health crisis, diverse feelings have arisen in response to the threat that the outbreak has posed, especially for health care workers. With the aim of evaluating the emotional response and its relationship with COVID-19, we have interviewed health care and non-health care workers in Spain during the peak of the pandemic. Our results show that 1) fear, irritability, frustration, anger, and helplessness appeared more frequently in HCW; 2) trainees perceived more uncertainty and frustration than experienced physicians; 3) nursing staff were more likely to experience sadness; 4) having a COVID confirmatory diagnosis was related to hypochondria; and, 5) sadness, intolerance, anger, and